BPF defies odds, holds ground

Years later, the party continues to maintain a presence on the national political stage, even as several parties born under similar circumstances struggle to stay afloat. Currently, the BPF boasts five Members of Parliament and more than 20 councillors across the country. The BPF has split from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) as those members felt that the party leadership by then was ill-treating the former president Ian Khama.

This level of representation has set it apart from other relatively young political formations that have since lost momentum or fallen into obscurity. In contrast, some parties established around the same period, or emerging from internal splits, are facing severe organisational and political challenges.